Roll forming machine



April 14, 1970 w. ALVAREZ 3,505,851

ROLL FORMING MACHINE Filed Feb. 13, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 V Z7 Z7 ZZ 5 256 ZZ fz y@ gf (@j) i C@ l )Z652 l a@ a if 55 April'14, 1970 w. ALvAREz A 3,505,851

ROLL FORMING MACHINE v Filed Feb. 13, 1967 15 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 14 1970 I y w. ALvAREYz 3,505,851

RULE FORMING MACHINE I 4 Filed Feb. 13. 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 /Z /fd 3/ Z/ INVENTOR.

United States Patent O ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A roll forming machine having a changeable gear input to drive looped chains which in turn drive the respective sets of rolls at successive forming stages at which the vertical spacing between rolls is positively indicated by a position indicator gage.

The present invention relates to a roll forming machine and more particularly to improvements in roll forming apparatus, to facilitate adjustment of the roll drive ratio at the respective stages by changing the input drive ratio to the upper and lower rolls at one stage, whereby the upper and lower rolls as each stage are driven, and

wherein improved sprocket drive mechanism is provided in a looped chain drive, together with means for positively indicating at each roll stage the actual vertical space between the rolls when they are loaded as during the forming of a member passing between the rolls.

.Heretofore, adjustment of the relative speed of rotation of the top and bottom rolls in roll forming apparatus, i.e., the drive ratio of the rolls, has posed problems in -respect of various gear drives and chain drives for the rolls. -For example, a change in the ratio of upperand lower rolls at each stage in a spur gear drive requires the changing of the gears at each stage, which may involve such change at upwards to twenty or more stages. If the ratio of a toggle and worm drive is to be changed, the drive at each stage must also be reconstructed. If a chain drive employing a single length of chain to operate all of the sprockets is employed, then each sprocket at the respective stages must be changed.

Accordingly, an object of the present-invention is to provide in a roll forming machine a loop chain drive in which the respective upper and lower rolls of each set of rolls at the individual stages are driven by loops of chain extending from one stage to the next, so that the upper and lower roll speeds are not correlated to one another 'by a common drive means, and wherein drive means are provided for driving one of the upper rolls and one of the lower rolls through a change gear assembly whereby the upper and-lower rolls of all stages may be driven at a selected ratio by the simple step of changing, for example, the ratio of the gears which establish the drive to. one ofthe upper rolls and one of the lower rolls at the power input stage, the loop chain drive to successive stages causing the respective rolls at each stage to rotate at the same speed as the one roll driven by the changeable gear drive.

In addition, -in the operation of roll forming machines wherein a common drive is employed to drive. all stages of the rolls, it has been the custom that the entire power required to operate the apparatus is transmitted through each stage in the roll forming machine. The torque load on the drive at each stage or station in such an apparatus therefore essentially would be limited by the ability of the roll shaft to withstand torsional load. Accordingly, another object of the invention is to provide in a-roll forming apparatus, a looped chain and sprocket drive in which the sprocket for each roll drive shaft includes a unitzed hub, input sprocket, and output sprocket in- Pce tegral with the hub and connected to the shaft, the input sprocket being engaged by a torque input chain coming from the output sprocketV of the preceding stage and the output sprocket being connected by a chain to the input sprocket of the next succeeding stage. Under these circumstances, it will be appreciated that each sprocket need transmit to its shaft only sulicient torque to operate the shaft and the force required to drive the next stage is carried through the hub of the composite unitzed inputoutput sprocket means which will have substantial torque transmitting capacity while allowing the use of smaller roll shafts at each stage.

In addition, in the operation of roll forming machines, the rolls and their bearing supports are subjected to extremely high loading as the part `being formed between the rolls passes between the rolls, and it is desirable not only that the occurrence of undesired deflection or enlargement of the gap between any set of rolls be immediately ascertaina-ble, but also that the establishment of the desired gap be facilitated. In the latter connection, it is common practice to initially establish the desired gap at successive roll stages by use of feeler gages as the adjustable fbearing blocks for the upper roll are adjusted relative to the bearing supports for the lower roll by the usual screw adjustors. Each time the spacing between rolls is to be adjusted for dill'erent jobs or to correct maladjustment, it is necessary that the feeler gage be employed. The present invention has for a further object, therefore, the provision of means for positively indicating at each of the roll stages the actual position of the upper roll when the same is under load.

More particularly, it is an object to provide at each roll stage a position indicator which will visually indicate the relative roll spacing at a given roll stage so as to instantaneously indicate any change in the roll gap at any roll stage. A further advantage of such an improvement is that once the setting of the rolls for a particular product has been established, the same setting can be re-established later by simple reference to a log of the roll settings indicated by the position gages.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter described or Will become apparent to those `skilled in the art, and the novel features of the invention will be defined in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation illustrating a number of stages of a multiple stage roll forming machine made in accordance with the invention with the side of the base removed to expose the power source;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the several stages of the machine shown in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view in vertical section as taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

,FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view in side elevation illustrating the adjustor means and indicator means at one stage of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail view in Vertical section as taken on the line 5 5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary detail view in vertical section as taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 4. v

Like reference characters in the several views of the drawings and in the following description designate corresponding parts.

, Referring rst to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is generally illustrated a portion of a multi-stage roll forming machine, four stages being shown in these views and it being understood that such a machine may involve upwards to twenty or more of such stages, through which a member to be roll formed will be progressively fed and progressively shaped by suitable shaping rolls which are, in the illustrative embodiment, shown simply as cylindrical rolls The machines includes a base frame assembly generally denoted at 1 in which is mounted a source of power M coupled at 2 to the input shaft 3 of a gear box 4. As is usual, the gear box 4 has an output 5 having thereon a sprocket 6 adapted to drive a chain 7 which, as seen in FIG. 3, may comprise a compound chain which drives a sprocket 8 mounted upon a shaft 9 in a gear support assembly 10. Above the shaft 9* is a similar shaft 11. These shafts 9 and 11 at one end extend exteriorly of the support 10 and shaft 9 supports a gear 9ay in mesh with a gear 11a on the shaft 11. Thus, the drive ratio of shafts 9 and 11 is a function of the tooth relationship of gears 9a and 11a. Similarly, shafts 9` and 11 project exteriorly of the other side of the support 10 and support, respectively, a sprocket 9b and a sprocket 11b about which are respectively trained compound chains 9c and 11C. These chains are the power input chains adapted to transmit power at a selected speed determined by the selection of gears 9a and 11a to the rst stage S1 of the compound stage roll forming apparatus which includes a second stage S2, third stage S3, and a fourth stage S4, as well as so -many additional stages as may be desired or necessary for the formation of a selected product.

In FIGS. 4 and 5, there is illustrated a representative roll stage. Each roll stage includes a pair of roll shafts comprising a lower shaft 12 and an upper shaft 13. At one end, the lower shaft 12 is journalled in bearings 14 and 15 in the spaced side walls of a supporting frame structure 16. At its other end the shaft 12 is joumalled in a bearing 17 in an upstanding support 18. This support 18 includes a base 19 suitably affixed as by bolts 20y to the base frame 1 and a pair of spaced side members 21 upstanding from the base 19 and interconnected by a head portion 22.

Upper shaft 13 is supported above shaft 12 in a vertically adjustable bearing block 23, one of which is supported in the supporting frame structure 16 for vertical movement and vertically adjustable therein by means of an adjustor screw 24 connected to the bearing block 23. Screw 24 extends upwardly from the frame structure 16 through an adjustor sleeve 25 which is revolvable to effect axial adjustment of the screw 24. At its other end the shaft 13 is journalled in a bearing block 26 which is supported between side members 21 of the upright support 18 for vertical adjustment and which is adapted to be vertically adjusted by a screw 27 connected thereto and extended upwardly through a revolvable adjustor sleeve 28 extended through the head member 22 of support 18.

The roll stages as thus far described are substantially conventional and it will be recognized that the upper roll shaft 13 is adapted to be vertically adjusted by the revolvable adjustors 25 and 28 to provide a desired gap between the simple cylindrical roll designated 12R on shaft 12 and 13R on shaft 13.

Mounted on the respective shafts 12 and 13 at each stage and between the bearings 15l and 14 in supporting frame 16 is a unitized hub, input, and output sprocket unit including a massive hub section 12a and 13a, respectively, having integral therewith compound sprocket sections 12b and 13b and 12C and 13C. The unitized sprockets on shaft 12 are keyed thereto as by a key 12d engaging shaft 12 and hub 12a, while the unitized sprockets on shaft 13 are keyed thereto by a key 13d engaging shaft 1 and hub 13a.

As will now more fully appear, the sprocket sections 12b and 13b at each stage constitute power input and output sprockets from which torque will be transmitted through the hub`sections 12a to and from the power output and input sections 12C and 13e at adjacent stages. In this connection, it will be noted that chain 9c driven by power input sprocket 9b on shaft 9 extends into engagement with the input sprocket 12b of roll shaft 12- at stage or station S1, while the chain 11C driven by input sprocket 11b onshaft 11 is connected to input sprocket 13b at stage or station S1 from which torque will be transmitted 4 Y I, y through hubp13a to output sprocket 13e of roll shaft 13.

Thus, shafts 12 and 13 will be rotated individually at each stage at a relative speed determined by the gear ratio selected in the application of gears 9a and 11a to power shafts 9 and 11. In the looped chain drive to the successive stages S2, S3, and S4, a compound chain 30 extends between sprocket 12C on shaft 12 of stage S1 to sprocket 12c on the shaft 12 of stage S2. Correspondingly, a compound chain 31 will extend between sprocket 13a` on shaft 13 of stage S1 to sprocket 13C of stage S2, so that at stage S2 the respective sprocket sections 12C and 13c constitute input sprocket sections from which torque `will be transmitted through massive hubs 12a and 13a to the output sprocket sections 12b and 13b at stage S2. From stage S2 then, a compound chain 32 will lead from output sprocket section 12b to the corresponding sprocket section 12b of stage S3 and, likewise, a compound chain 33 will extend from sprocket section 13b to the corresponding sprocket section 13b at stage S3 and so on alternately throughout all of the stages. Therefore, due to the fact that each sprocket unit includes both an input and an output sprocket section and unitized hub connected by chains to the next adjacent stage, the driving torque required to power all of the stages is transmitted through the respective hubs 12a and 13a'` while the force necessary to drive the respective shafts 12 and 13 is transmitted thereto via the respective keys 12d and 13d, and the shafts 12 and 13 need not transmit the full torque load required to operate all of the roll stages.

Moreover, due to the fact that each shaft 13 in the successive stages is driven by a looped chain drive means independently of the lower shaft 12, the spacing of the shafts or the gap therebetween at each stage as well as the progressive reduction in gap at successive stages may be readily accomplished by the adjustor mechanisms including revolvable members 25 and 28 referred to above.

In order to provide a positive indication of the actual position of each of the shafts 13 in accordance with the objectives of the invention, each of the bearing blocks 26 in vertical supports 18 and an adjacent portion of the latter are provided with parts which support a position indicating gage G and an abutment G therefor. In the illustrative embodiment each bearing block has an abutment G formed integral therewith and projecting therefrom, and the gage G is carried by a side member 21 of the vertical support 18. f

Referring more particularly to FIG. 6, the gage G shown therein is representative of several gagesand is a typical positionindicating gage having a plunger 35 adjustably extensible from the gage body and adapted to belengaged by the abutment G. Means are provided also for adjustably supporting the gage G at various local tions relative to the vertical support 18. Illustratively, the

gage supporting side member 21 is provided with a vertical slot 36 adapted to receive a tongue 37 projecting from the rear of the gage housing. The member 21y is provided with a vertically spaced series of openings 38vand the tongue 37 is provided with a corresponding opening for selective reception of a cross pin 39.

It will now be appreciated that the gages G are selectively adjustable and adapted for disposition at selected elevations on the supports 18 so as to be engaged bythe abutments G', whereby the usual gage indicator needle will be moved to a position indicative at each stage of the actual gap between rolls 12R and 13R when they` are under load and all backlash or tolerance in the adjustor mechanism is taken up under the pressure loading of the rolls. After the machine is set up at each stage, any variation in the position indicated by any gage G will be indicative of a change having occurred in the 'gap between the rolls at that particular stage. Moreover, the indicated positions at each stage may be logged so thatin a subsequent operation of the machine to provide the same roll forming operation the log of the gage positions may be employed to assure similarity of setup, thereby substan- 5. tially reducing setup time required in later operations of the same type.

While specific structural details have been shown and described, it should be understood that changes and alterations may be resorted to.

What is claimed is:

1. In a roll forming machine, comprising: a base; a plurality of roll support means spaced along said base and each having a set of rolls consisting of an upper roll and a lower roll rotatably supported therein and comprising a roll stand; drive means for each roll comprising a roll drive shaft, a hub keyed to said shaft and input and output sprockets on said hub; drive chain means engaged with said sprocket means, said sprocket means and drive chain means including separate looped chains engaged with the sprocket means of the respective upper and lower rolls of only adjacent roll stands and including drive means connected to a source of power; said drive means comprising a pair of drive shafts; one of said drive shafts being adapted to be connected to said power source; changeable gear means on said drive shafts for effecting a selected ratio drive of both of said drive shafts; and further drive means connecting said drive shafts respectively to the sprocket means of the respective upper and lower rolls of one of said sets of rolls, whereby all of said sets of rolls will be driven at a ratio dependent upon the selected ratio of said changeable gear means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,384,802 7/ 1921 Geer 72-248 1,625,643 4/ 1927 Elliott 72-249 2,714,820 8/ 1955 Chamberlain 74-243 2,027,564 1/ 1936 Stein et a1 72-249 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner B. I. MUSTAIKIS, Assistant Examiner 

